A 61-year-old Pasco County man, Craig Vogt, was arrested and charged with a third-degree felony after allegedly killing and eating two of his pet peacocks following a heated dispute with a neighbor over feeding the birds.
The incident came to light on September 20, 2025, when Vogt’s neighbor in Hudson, Florida, reported the dispute to authorities. According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the neighbor had been in a verbal disagreement with Vogt over his peacocks, which she continued to feed despite the tension.
The dispute escalated after Vogt allegedly left a letter in her mailbox claiming he had killed two peacocks in retaliation for her continued feeding.
Deputies contacted Vogt, who readily admitted to the acts. According to the sheriff’s report:
Vogt confessed he killed two peacocks and ate them to prevent the neighbor from feeding them again.
He admitted to cutting the birds’ necks with a knife, bleeding them out, and cooking them in a frying pan.
Vogt repeated that he acted “out of spite” after being read his Miranda rights.
While being transported to jail, he allegedly stated he plans to kill all remaining peacocks upon release to prevent anyone from taking custody of them.
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office charged Vogt with Aggravated Animal Cruelty, a third-degree felony under Florida law, for intentionally causing “excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering resulting in the animal’s cruel death.”
Court records show Vogt has appeared before a judge and was assigned a public defender. He remains in custody at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center.
For her own safety, the neighbor filed for and was granted a protective order against Vogt on September 29, 2025, according to Pasco County court records.
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